A week remaining before the Most Decisive Battle of Kpop History will take place - Standing Next to You vs Cruel Summer

Next Friday's Jungkook's new album is released.

I have quite a lot to question about Hybe's policy regarding this release.

For an inexplicable reason, Jungkook will have a fan meeting at the Jangchung Arena, which can house, I have to say, an amazing 4,500 people. I did not mistype - Four Thousand Five Hundred people.

A huge comparison to IU, whose FAN concert was held in the Gymnastics Arena (also called KSPO dome) , with 15,000 each round for her diehard fans only.

Instead of going to USA to fight Taylor Swift in earnest, with her concert movie boasting Cruel Summer's popularity, Jungkook decides to stay in Korea, performing in a place which houses about 30% of what IU, BTS' mortal enemy, had arranged for her own fans only.

Jungkook's collabo with Kid Laroi, to promote the latter which was the wishes of Mr. Bang, will be creamed hard by Tay.

The entire future of KPop depends upon this single battle.

On the way are Drake, SZA and Doja Cat. Even if Jungkook can sail past them, he will face the full force of Taylor when the latter's stars are shing the brightest.

Even with the full force of BTS, victory is not guaranteed, although if the Koreans didn't go berserk I doubt Taylor would tried this stunt as BTS would have checked her every corner.

Again I have to say that not ditching Korea will be BTS' greatest regrets .

If Jungkook is beaten by Taylor Swift this time, an irreversible, permanent shift of power against BTS and Kpop in general will take place.

If JK can dislodge Taylor Swift from #1 in billboard hot 100, then maybe BTS might get another lease of life. If not, I will have plenty of time to talk about it if that happens.

Quote from ellenote

Swifties scare me so I pick Taylor Swift. There's only 2 fandoms I'm afraid of

1. Swifties

2. Barbs

I don't think Jungkook can go against Taylor, her fandom is on another level of dedication...I still have hope for Jungkook though, maybe if the songs good...or army's wake up and stream then maybe he'll win.

This battle will decide the future of Kpop. Armies face an uphill battle.

Quote from Flowercrew

May JK'S list prevail.

I will do what I can, although it won't be too much

This is a battle which will be sung for centuries.

Quote from Yseki

It's funny because there are people that are decently popular in Korea that have barely any listeners on Spotify.

The 1,344 years old has a small spotify presence although her melon stranglehold still appears to be strong.

Quote from Flowercrew

You exaggerate. 😂

May the force be with you

This battle decides whether BTS , and KPop in general, remains as a potent force to conquer the world, or just relegated to a temporary fad.

Quote from Polarize

You can create the narrative and point to a few crazy fans on the peripherals, but the irony is that neither fanbase really cares about the other and how they chart.

Important events are often not perceived immediately

If Jungkook cannot defeat Taylor Swift, then it is over since the world will all know that JK cannot remove her

Quote from mysterikmagick

I believe her song "Slut!" may actually be the #1 contender this week, we will see how it does Week 2. I will say I have no idea why HYBE chose this release week and also seemingly has no promo lined up. Seven should have been an appetizer of the hype ahead of the main course - instead it feels like they've dialed back the marketing. Maybe I'm wrong though! Obviously rooting for JK to get his #1 on albums chart (single would be great, too.)

Hybe , which means Bang, just wants BTS to be vehicles for its newer acts

More effort was put into the collabo with Kid Laroi, Bang's current darling, than this do-or-die promo.

Quote from Flowercrew

Nah. Life goes on. BTS and JK will still do their own thing.

No changes.

Life goes on whether BTS still rules the world or is now relegated to arena tours in cities you never heard about before

Quote from nevermindmejin

It’s obvious JK just doing his thing and not plotting for world domination. Only OP and other weird kpop stans will think otherwise. JK is just enjoying his time and the one opinion that he cares most is from his fans ARMY. Hence the intimate fan meeting.. and I’m sure we will get many many lives of him sharing this thought process about his album/songs and I can’t wait for that!

This is the Battle of Leipzig in our time

The Entire Empire of BTS is now hanging for its dear life

JK having his fan meet in an old arena, built in 1960s, with only 4,500 capacity is quite strange but it shows a very poor planning by Hybe

This IS the decisive battle of 2020s.

Quote from paradis

More chances of him going 1 on Hot 100 than BB 200. She will easily do more than 300k to 400k units in week 2.

Even Hot 100 will be tough cause Slut will have huge radio in week 2, even if streams are lower. So yeah both charts are impossible for him to top.

Non-Armys pitting him against the biggest American artist on American charts are just stupid af but also at the same time show indirectly how massive they think Jk's potential is...so there is that.

If he beats her for Hot 100 it will be considered to be a Significant Victory which will keep BTS alive in North America at least.

it is an uphill battle, which will test the power of the Armies knowing the stake, and if the Armies lose to the Swifties, which would not even have been a question during BTS' heyday, the cohesion will break.